Haunted Lighthouses in Boothbay Region of Maine
Along Maine's Kennebec River up to Pemaquid Point, on the rocky shoreline of the Boothbay Region, lighthouses were established on its islands and connecting waterways. Lighthouses were built along the lower Kennebec River to guide both commercial and daily steamship traffic into Bath.
Many lighthouses in Maine were built in isolated areas, which sometimes proved too much for the keepers or their wives, like the spirits at Seguin Island Light, or for those who were shipwrecked nearby, like the female ghost at Pemaquid Point Light. Some of these souls were killed in tragic accidents, as the lady of the dusk at Hendricks Head Light, or perished in New England’s ferocious storms and now help mariners like the woman in white at Ram Island Light. Some keepers, and even their wives, were so dedicated to their lighthouse stations that their ghosts have been documented as returning to ensure the lighthouse is well maintained as the entities at Burnt Island Light.
Three Hauntings at Seguin Island
Seguin Island Light, Georgetown, Maine
Sequin Island Lighthouse is the highest lighthouse in Maine, just over 180 feet above sea level, located about two miles from the mainland. It also had one of the largest foghorns to accommodate the nearly one-third of its days blanketed in fog each year at the island.
The Old Captain
The history of Seguin Island Lighthouse is rich with strange, documented tales, and it is considered one of the most haunted lighthouses on the East Coast. Seguin Island Light’s first keeper, Major (Count) John Polereczky, died in poverty. Some claim that his ghost haunts the keepers who came after him. Sightings of a spectral figure known as the "Old Captain" have been reported climbing the tower's staircase.
Over the years, keepers and caretakers have witnessed items being thrown from shelves onto the floor; tools have vanished and reappeared randomly, and doors have been seen opening and closing. If the furniture is moved, it is found back in its original position the next day.
In 1985, a crew was hired to remove furniture from the island. The ghost appeared during the head manager’s sleep and warned him not to move the furniture. Believing it was just a dream, the supervisor loaded all the furniture onto a boat and lowered it into the water when suddenly the cable snapped, causing everything to crash onto the rocks below. Many people believe these incidents are caused by the “Old Captain.”
Piano Playing Caused Insanity
Around the mid-1800s, a caretaker or keeper of the beacon, newly married, brought his young wife out with him to tend the light, who became bored and depressed from the isolating location. To keep her busy, he had a piano brought to the lighthouse just before winter set in. There was only one song provided with the piano, so she set to play it…over and over again.
The isolation and constant playing of the same tune for days into months eventually drove the keeper insane. Finally, he had enough, took an axe, and chopped up the piano, then turned on his complaining wife and killed her. Realizing the ghoulish action he just completed, he killed himself.
Many mariners and visitors to the island have reported hearing an old Scott Joplin tune played on a piano over the waters during foggy weather.
Young Girl Playing
There have also been sightings of a young girl running in the house, calling out to caretakers and visitors, or waving to visitors. She is probably the daughter of one of the keepers who died at the lighthouse. Records also show that a young girl was buried on the island. She has also been heard laughing and bouncing a ball upstairs in the keeper’s house.
Click this link Three Hauntings for more aditional details, in my Lighthouse Stories blog section.
Lady Ghost of the Dusk
Hendricks Head Light, Southport, Maine
Hendricks Head Light lies about ten miles south of Boothbay Harbor, on the mouth of the Sheepscot River.
In late November of 1931, Charlie Pinkham, a keeper and volunteer firefighter in the town, gathered a search party to look for a well-dressed woman from out of town who had asked about the shoreline just before nightfall and then disappeared. The search party found her body about a week later, on Sunday, December 6, 1931. It had washed ashore near Hendricks Head Lighthouse with a leather belt fastened around her wrists and an electric flat iron, which they assumed was intended to weigh her down in the water.
Detectives later discovered her bag had been left at the Fullerton Hotel, where she had signed in as Louise Meade. Her description and story were published in papers nationwide, but no one came forward to claim the body. The town of Southport buried her in their old cemetery along the road to Hendricks Head.
Over the years, many have reported sightings of her ghost or shadowy figure, primarily at twilight near Hendricks Head Lighthouse; thus, she has become known as the "Lady of the Dusk."
Click this link Lady of the Dusk for more intricate details, in my Lighthouse Stories blog section.
2 A.M. Ghosts of Wife in White
and Another Keeper
Burnt Island Light, Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Burnt Island Light lies a short distance from the mainland on Boothbay Harbor. It was one of the earliest lighthouses built in the area to accommodate the increasing fishing and shipping business at the port.
Keeper’s Wife in White
Keeper James McCobb was a former sea captain who served at Burnt Island Light from 1868 to 1880. He lived with his wife Martha, whom he loved and was happy with his new life at the lighthouse. Years later, at the age of 53, after battling internal spreading of cancer, on March 22, 1877, at 2 a.m., Martha died. McCobb fell into a deep depression and left the lighthouse in 1880. Since Martha’s death, visitors and caretakers on the island have reported seeing a woman in a white nightgown often in the early morning hours. She floats outside on the grounds and around the house, then disappears.
Dedicated Keeper
Benjamin Stockbridge, a former keeper of the Burnt Island Lighthouse, cherished island life and was meticulous in his daily work ethic. As an older keeper with a bum leg, he began experiencing health issues that impacted his physical duties. The Coast Guard dispatched a younger man named Reg to the island to assist Ben with these more demanding tasks. Eventually, the keeper’s health declined, and the young assistant brought the keeper and his wife to shore to spend his final days before returning to the lighthouse to carry out the daily tasks he had learned from his mentor.
Days later, Reg was awakened around 2 a.m., hearing the front door burst open and a voice shouting, “The light is out, the light is out! You have a smoke-out!” He glanced out the window at the light tower and saw nothing but darkness; the light was out. Dressed only in his nightclothes, he ran up into the tower and managed to rekindle the lamp and restore the light with some effort and ingenuity.
Exhausted from the experience, he realized that the visitor’s voice sounded very much like the voice of keeper Benjamin Stockbridge. Reg went into Boothbay Harbor to meet a local fisherman the next day. When he asked how Ben was doing in the hospital, the fisherman told him that Ben had died at 2 o’clock that morning. Many caretakers who have stayed overnight still experience strange sounds and believe Benjamin Stockbridge is still maintaining his lighthouse.
Woman in White Warning Mariners
Ram Island Light, Boothbay Harbor, Maine
In 1837, Congress appropriated funds for constructing a lighthouse on Ram Island. However, Captain Joseph Smith of the U.S. Navy declared that building a beacon on Ram Island was unnecessary, as the area had enough lighthouses. The funding was halted until 1883.
Local fishermen decided to take matters into their own hands and hung a lantern for a time to help guide mariners away from the rocky island. However, more accidents and storms followed, and no light was available for some time. During this period, a series of sightings of a “woman in white” emerged, along with other strange events believed to warn mariners against crashing on the shore, thus becoming part of the area's folklore.
The “woman in white” appears as standing on the rocks, a glowing figure waving her arms to warn ships of the dangers posed by the treacherous rocky shore in the area. She has also been seen waving a bright light. Unexplained fires were reportedly visible from the rocks.
After the lighthouse was completed in 1883, there were fewer instances of the “woman in white” reported, although, at times, she still appears on foggy or stormy nights.
Shivering Lady in Red and Noises
Pemaquid Point Light, Bristol, Maine
Pemaquid Point Lighthouse stands atop some of the most scenic yet perilous geological rock formations that have caused numerous shipwrecks for mariners for centuries. The Fisherman’s Museum, located next to the lighthouse tower, was once the keeper’s quarters.
Shivering Female Ghost
Over the years, reports have emerged of sightings of a woman’s ghost in a red shawl, seen near the fireplace of the keeper’s house. The apparition appears wet and shivering, dressed in period clothing and seemingly distressed. Although there is no historical documentation of anyone dying at the lighthouse, with the many wrecks that have occurred near the station, it’s possible she is one of those who perished in these tragedies, or perhaps she is still waiting for a lost love at sea.
Many visitors who have rented the keeper’s apartment upstairs report experiencing unexplained noises, door slams, faint cries, footsteps, and icy cold spots. There have also been accounts of lights suddenly turning on, even when the tower or house is unattended. One visitor mentioned being in the parking lot late at night when every light in the unoccupied keeper’s building abruptly illuminated.
Books to Explore
New Book!  Available in paperback. |
New England's Haunted Lighthouses: Explore the historical mysteries surrounding the haunted lighthouses of New England! Uncover ghostly tales of lingering keepers, victims of misfortune or from local shipwrecks, lost souls, ghost ships, and more. You'll find plenty of additional details on the haunted lighthouses in the Boothbay region. Immerse yourself in the tales associated with these iconic beacons! |
Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Southern New England: Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts This book provides special human interest stories from each of the 92 lighthouses, along with plenty of indoor and outdoor coastal attractions you can explore, including parks, museums, boat cruises and tours. You'll also find over 360 images to enjoy as well. Look inside! |
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Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Northern New England: This book provides human interest stories from each of the 76 lighthouses in northern New England, along with plenty of coastal attractions and tours near each beacon, and contact info to plan your special trips. Look inside! |
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This book is available in paperback, hardcover, and as an eBook for all devices.
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The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships: In the early 1900s, New England shipbuilders constructed the world’s largest sailing ships amid social and political reforms. These giants of sail were built to carry massive quantities of coal and building supplies and measured longer than a football field! These true stories include competitions, accidents, battling destructive storms, acts of heroism, and their final voyages. |
